Nearly 100 people join meeting to protect Ruscombe Valley

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council along with the relaunched Ruscombe Valley Action Group organised a pubic meeting last night to explain the latest consultation. More on that coming in future blogs, however I was delighted to see so many people turn up.

Photos: view to top right of picture of some of the fields threatened and below some of the local sites included in the consultation process.

This meeting showed how strong the feelings are about the threat to developing the Ruscombe Valley and fields in Randwick. Sadly many other communities across the District are equally worried about developments in their backyards. Yet somewhere 2,000 homes need to go before 2026.

Housing is needed but there is more that could be done rather than yet more boxes covering our hills (see my recent blog here about the waiting lists in Stroud). Of course there is a need to plan homes and employment and we should be clear that this is not a Council policy making document.

However, the very mention of sites, that are clearly so totally unsuitable for development, is a recipe for anger and dismay. I would urge people to look closely at the consultation documents and submit their comments before the deadline on 22nd March.

There is a "road show" on Saturday March 13th at the Sub Rooms put on by SDC to show the public what the options are and it would be good if many of us could also go to this. Sadly this is the only public event so big thanks to the Parish and Action Group for organising this - if you are interested in the Action Group then do let me know - we are likely to meet again through this process!

The Parish Council are happy to circulate their thoughts on the consultation to anyone interested so please let me know name, address and email and I can get you added to list.

See my blog here back in October for initial responses re key local sites and here for more background. I will be posting more but have a special meeting Monday morning to look more specifically at all the options.

The more responses SDC have the better These documents are available on line - see here:
www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/lp/consultation.asp